She Doesn't Need Me Anymore
by kuvira
Summary: Lin is struggling to come to terms with her little sister growing up and discovering her independence. She worries that she is becoming involved with the wrong crowd, and that there is very little she can do to protect her.


Lin was standing outside of Su's school. She looked at her watch and tapped her right foot. The metal sole scraped against the pavement in a way that made her smile. She was so proud of herself. "Excuse me, do you know what time they get out?" She asked the heavy-set man to her right.

"Three-o'five." He smiled and looked her up and down. "You a cop?"

"I sure am. My first day was yesterday." She grinned.

"Congrats. My oldest nephew wants to be one so bad." He chuckled to himself. "He's not strong enough though."

"How old is he?"

"Twenty. He's not a bender, either."

"Oh...well he can still work for the police. Just won't be on the metalbending squad."

The man shook his head. "Nah, he's too soft to be a cop. I hear the chief is a real...well, _you know_…" He cut his eyes away.

"Hm? No, I don't know. A real, what?"

"I hear she's kinda..._strict_...to put it lightly."

"No." Lin shook her head. "People only say that because she's a woman. They don't expect her to be assertive and when she is they call her names. She's the hardest-working woman I know."

"Didn't you just join the force? Why are you so defensive of her?"

Lin straightened her back and crossed her arms. She turned her body to face forward. "She's my mom."

He raised the right corner of his lips in a smile. "Hmph. 'Course."

She ignored the remark.

"So, what are you doing at the school?"

"Picking up my little sister. What are you doing?"

"Picking up my youngest nephew. He's been getting into some pretty...bad business lately. My brother hasn't been keeping tabs on him the way I'd like him to. So I'm doing it."

Lin smiled and sighed, looking down at her feet. "Me too."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. She's been coming home late and I've seen her around with some shady kids. I'm just worried about her, you know? Our mom doesn't really care about what she does."

"Well, that's surprising. You'd think she'd be extra protective since she's Chief of Police...knowing how scary the world is and all."

Lin nodded. "Yeah, I know. She gives us complete freedom. As soon as we turned twelve we were free to do whatever, whenever. All I did was go to school and come home, but Su is always out doing who-knows-what with who-knows-who. Since mom doesn't worry about her, I feel like it's my job to."

"She doesn't appreciate you, does she?"

Lin shook her head. "Nope. She thinks I'm annoying and overbearing. She doesn't understand that I just want to protect her."

"Neither does my nephew."

Lin checked her watch. "They should be out soon."

"I'm Ryu, by the way." He held out his hand.

"Lin." She shook it and looked at the school doors once more.

The bell rang and flocks of teenagers exited the school.

"There she is." She pointed to Su.

"My nephew is with her…"

Su and Chen turned left and walked towards the street.

"Su!" Lin ran over to her sister. "Wait up!"

Su stopped walking and turned her head around slowly. "Ugh...what does _she _want?"

"Tell her to back off!" Chen nudged Su's side.

Su turned around to face Lin. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to take you home." She smiled and waved at Chen.

He spit on the ground next to her feet and scowled.

"Who do you think you are, you little brat?"

Su pushed her. "He's my friend, Lin. Go home!"

Ryu ran over. "Chen, say goodbye to your friend. We're going home."

"You're not my dad, you can't tell me what to do."

"You're right, I'm not your dad! But I'm the only one around here who cares about what you do, so you're coming home with me, right now!"

"No, I'm not!" He shoved his uncle and ran off.

"Chen, wait!" Ryu followed.

Lin looked at Su. "Su, what are you doing?"

Su crossed her arms. "Don't worry about it."

Lin bit her bottom lip nervously. "I'm worried about y-"

"Lin, would you just shut up!? Could you do that for me, please? Just shut up?"

Lin was silent.

Su snickered. "You think you're so cool, don't you? In that uniform. Mom never even wanted you to be a cop. You disappointed her. You know that, right?"

"No, I didn-"

"Yes, you did. You tried to be exactly like her, I'm the one who does my own thing. Maybe that's why I'm the favorite." She tossed her school bag at Lin and started walking off.

Lin caught it. "Where are you going?" She grabbed her arm.

She pulled her arm back. "Don't worry about it."

Lin followed. "I just want you to be safe, Su. That's all I want."

"Lin!" Su stomped her right foot. "I. Don't. Need. You. Anymore!"

Lin felt a sting in her heart. "Yes you do. You're only fourteen."

"Just leave me alone!" She sprinted away.

Lin turned around and walked into town with Su's bag on her back. She approached the Beifong Police Station and went inside. She walked to Toph's office and opened the door. "Mo-"

"Lin, I'm very busy." Toph was seated at her desk organizing documents. She was able to read the writing by feeling the rock-fragments in the ink. It was a new skill that she had developed.

Lin sat in one of the two red cushioned chairs in front of Toph's desk. She tossed Su's bag into the other one and rested her head inside of her knees.

"What's wrong?" Toph continued working.

"Su."

"What about Su?"

"She hates me."

"No she doesn't."

"She said she doesn't need me anymore."

"She doesn't."

"Yes, she does."

"Lin." Toph put her documents down. "She's strong. She can protect herself. Leave her alone."

Lin lifted her head from her knees in protest. "Mom! You don't even know what she does! She's so bad!"

"She can't be that bad if I haven't heard about it." Her tone remained monotone, and she looked jaded and stressed. She was aging.

Lin looked down. "She said you're disappointed in me."

"Lin, I'm...really busy right now. If we could continue this conversation at home, that would be ideal."

A tear slid down Lin's left cheek. "I love you, mom." She looked up at Toph desperately.

Toph switched her documents to her left hand and held out her right arm.

Lin walked closer and leaned over the desk. She put her mother's hand to her face and traced her forehead, nose, and lips with it. "Bye, Mom."

"Bye." Toph resumed her work.

Lin walked out and headed home.


End file.
